It is difficult for me to pick one episode from each Doctor, especially 3-5.

One episode from each Doctor:Hartnell : The Keys of MarinusTroughton: The Tomb of the Cybermen (I like The War Games, but it is a long story, 10 epiodes)Pertwee : InfernoT. Baker : The Android InvasionDavison : Earthshock C. Baker : Vengeance on VarosMcCoy : Dragonfire

I was a huge fan of the Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker and Peter Davison era Dr Who seasons, but have little love for Colin Baker or Sylvester McCoy, and I have not even seen any of the new seasons, however good they are supposed to be.

What would I recommend for someone to get into earlier era Dr Who?

Jon Pertwee - Terror of the Autons. This introduces not only the Doctor, but also Delgado's Master, who becomes a supervillain extraordinaire. Delgado's Master was energetic, egotistical, and often prone to violence, unilke Ainley's Master, who was more subtle and sneering. Delgado's Master would jump onto speeding army trucks, hypnotise the driver through the window, and smash people into walls. Ainley's Master, while still cool, had more of the theatrical mustache-twirling feel to him.

As an aside, I wish they had resurrected the Master character as a more energetic and violent villain in the new stories.

Tom Baker - The Pyramids of Mars. Absolute classic in the Hammer Horror vein, involving ancient alien gods, a creepy mansion and robotic mummies! Another excellent Tom Baker story is the Seeds of Doom, about an intelligent plant alien that is intent on infecting the entire Earth.

If your friend wants a whole series of stories, give him The Key to Time sequence which includes The Ribos Operation, The Stones of Blood, The Pirate Planet and the Armageddon Factor. Not to mention the lovely, and now sadly deceased, Mary Tamm as Romana.

The Tom Baker stories often had a Hammer Horror gothic feel, including The Image of the Fendahl and The Masque of Mandragora. If he's into the Hammer stuff, he will like those. Or if he likes the Cybermen, you can't go past any of the Tom Baker Cybermen stories, they are fab.

Peter Davison - I'd go with Earthshock, or Full Circle. In fact, many of the Davison era stories were great. The Black Guardian stories involving Turlough, like Mawdryn Undead, were fascinating and show a lot of character development.

Logged

"Many others since have tried & failed at making a watchable parasite slug movie" - LilCerberus

Hartnell: The Time MeddlerTroughton: The Web Of FearPertwee: The Mind Of EvilBaker: Talons Of Weng-ChiangDavison: The VisitationColin Baker: Vengeance On VarosMcCoy: Ghost LightMcGann: the TV movieEccleston: The Empty ChildTennant: DoomsdaySmith: The Doctor's Wife